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If you’ve ever gotten totally breathless or reached your max heart rate during a workout, you already know how anaerobic exercise feels! Literally meaning “without oxygen,” anaerobic exercise works your body at such a high intensity that your cardiovascular system can’t deliver oxygen to your muscles fast enough, causing your body to rely on other energy sources. 

That doesn’t sound like a good thing, but anerobic exercise can actually be a beneficial part of your training program. By adding exercises like high-intensity interval training, sprints, and heavy weight training to your workouts, you can build lean muscle and improve your endurance, allowing you to perform better at other forms of exercise or sport. 

The Science Behind Anaerobic Exercise

While aerobic exercise uses oxygen for fuel, anaerobic workouts utilize the glucose stored in your muscles, which is known as glycogen. In a process called glycolysis, your body produces lactic acid to breakdown the glycogen and convert it to energy. But, too much lactic acid can cause muscle pain and fatigue, which is why anaerobic bursts should only last for a few seconds to a few minutes. 

By including regular anaerobic exercise into your workouts, your body will improve its ability to tolerate lactic acid and be more efficient in eliminating it. This happens due to increases to your anaerobic threshold (or lactate threshold), which is the highest exercise intensity that you can tolerate for a sustained period of time. 

The Benefits of Anaerobic Exercise

Here’s everything you need to know about this calorie-torching, endurance-building type of exercise.

If anaerobic exercise sounds intense, that’s because it is! But, the benefits to your overall health may be enough to motivate you to powering through your next workout. Here are just some of those benefits:

• Boosts energy by increasing your body’s ability to store glycogen
• Builds stronger muscles
• Burns fat
• Improves your athletic ability 
• Improves your mood
• Improves endurance
• Increases your bone strength and density
• Increases your metabolism 
• Lowers your blood sugar
• Protects your joints against injury
• Reduces your risk of diabetes and heart disease

Adding Anaerobic Exercise to Your Workout Regime

While many athletes already incorporate anaerobic training into their exercise programs, everyday exercisers can see benefits to their overall fitness from it as well. While it may seem intimidating at first, the biggest difference between anaerobic exercise and aerobic exercise is the intensity at which you’re working. 

That said, please be aware that going too hard or too fast could result in injury, so we recommend that you consult a physician or certified health professional to help you establish a program based on your medical history and personal goals. It’s also a good idea to start with aerobic interval training offered by a beginner interval workout. And, remember, that you will need a full day of recovery after each workout.

Types of Anaerobic Exercises

There are a variety of exercises and movements that require short bursts of intense energy, including cardio exercises or dynamic strength training options, such as:

• Certain types of kettlebell training
• Climbing hills
• Fartlek training
• High-intensity interval training (HIIT)
• Intensive and fast skipping (with a rope)
• Isometrics
• Jumping
• Lunges
• Metabolic conditioning
• Plyometric training
• Powerlifting
• Sprinting (running sprints and swimming sprints)
• Tabata training

Add CORESHORTS™ To Support Your Workout

If you are performing strenuous exercises, your body needs all the support it can get. That’s where CORESHORTS™ comes in!

CORESHORTS™ patented design and stability function make them the first choice for many professional and recreational athletes for this type of training. “The more you move, the better they work.”

Unlike other compression garments, CORESHORTS™ presents a new industry standard. The patented Core Activation System “X” design utilizes a series of strategically angled elastics to produce the first anatomically correct compression short. CORESHORTS™ mimic the functional anatomy of the core area (the body's anterior and posterior diagonal sling systems) while also providing compression. 

CORESHORTS™ feature diagonal elastics that cross from the hip to the opposite mid-thigh in the front and back. The waist area is circumferential providing pelvic compression, and tension is created for both unidirectional and multidirectional movements. All of this means that CORESHORTS™ offer you added support, improved performance, and injury prevention!

Try them out for yourself and experience the difference! Learn more: www.coreshorts.com 

*Disclaimer: Please note that the information provided in CORESHORTS™ blogs do not replace individual advice from health professionals. Please consult your physician/health professional before starting a new fitness program.

Whether you’re an athlete or you’re just trying to get into shape, strength training should be a key part of your exercise program. Really, strength training is for everyone at every fitness level. Regardless of age or athletic ability, strength training improves your mobility, balance, and performance, while lowering your risk for injury. 

So, what is strength training? Also called resistance training, this type of exercise makes your muscles work against a weight or force. A strength training program is not weightlifting alone. It can include body weight exercises like lunges and pushups, resistance movements, and even climbing or throwing. You can use a variety of equipment when strength training, including free weights, weight machines, balance balls, and resistance bands. Regardless if you’re doing a pull-up or lifting a kettlebell, the goal of these exercises is to build muscle and improve overall physical conditioning. 

Strength training can be done at home or in the gym, making it a convenient addition to your exercise plan. No matter where you train, the principle behind it is the same - that your muscles will work to overcome that resistance and grow stronger in the process. However, it’s important that you have clear goals for your training and that you first consult with your doctor, trainer, or other health professional before you get started.

The Body’s Response to Strength Training

As you train with resistance, microscopic changes occur in your muscle fibers. The body responds by repairing those fibers, building muscle and increasing muscle mass. In addition to improved muscle tone and definition, your bone density also increases, which helps reduce the risk of fractures. Strength training enhances your tendon and ligament strength, as well as your joint function, resulting in better range of motion, and mobility. 

Your metabolism is elevated, helping your body more efficiently burn calories. Your endurance increases, as well as your overall fitness, and your mood will even improve!

The Benefits of Strength Training 

The American College of Sports Medicine (ACSM) says that strength training can be both time efficient and effective for health benefits. Here are more physical and mental health benefits that you can achieve through strength training: 

• Chronic disease management
• Decreased blood pressure
• Decreased dad cholesterol levels
• Decreased risk of injury
• Enhanced speed, power, and agility
• Enhanced strength and endurance
• Improved aerobic capacity
• Improved balance, coordination, and posture
• Improved bone density 
• Improved glucose tolerance and insulin sensitivity
• Improved overall body composition
• Improved quality of life
• Improved self-esteem
• Increased lean muscle mass
• Increased metabolism 
• Increased muscle strength
• Sharpened thinking skills

How Much Strength Training Should You Do?

Your strength training program should follow a long-term plan to reach the specific goals that you want to achieve. That said, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services’ (HHS) physical activity guidelines recommend that you incorporate strength training exercises into your fitness plan at least two times a week. Make sure to include for all major muscle groups in your body in the workout, including your legs, hips, back, chest, abdomen, shoulders, and arms. 

For each muscle group, the HHS says that eight to twelve repetitions of the same exercise (one set) per session is effective, although some evidence shows two to three sets to be even better. Strength training exercises are most effective when performed to the point where you find it difficult to do another repetition without help. It’s important that your workouts challenge your muscles to see the most benefit. 

The right weight for you will depend on the specific exercise. When it feels easy lifting a certain weight, you can either increase the weight up to ten percent or add another set of repetitions (not to exceed three). Even after adding weight, you should still be able to work out with good form. Also, make sure to allow 48 hours between training sessions to allow for muscle recovery. 

Avoiding Injury 

Your form and technique are essential during any strength training session. To avoid injury, focus on aligning your body and controlling your speed as you complete each exercise. Bad form not only leads to injuries, but it can slow gains. Working with a professional trainer can help to make sure that you are doing each exercise correctly. Make sure to warm up before you exercise to prepare your muscles and cool down after.

Wearing your CORESHORTS™ when you work out also helps you train better and may reduce the risk of injury. Lower back, pelvic and groin injuries primarily occur in activities that involve bending and twisting, a change in direction and speed, and repetitive motions, which includes reps during strength training. CORESHORTS™ unique patented design supports the core anatomy and enhances functional movements.

With the right form and the right gear, strength training workouts can actually help you reduce your chance of injury while playing sports or doing other activities. In fact, Danish researchers conducted an analysis of 25 different studies, which included 26,000 participants and almost 3,500 injuries, which showed that strength training can significantly reduce incidence of injury.

If you are looking to perform better and avoid injury, consider a strength training program and wear CORESHORTS™ as you exercise. Learn more: www.coreshorts.com

*Disclaimer: Please note that the information provided in CORESHORTS™ blogs do not replace individual advice from health professionals. Please consult your physician/health professional before starting a new fitness program.

Everyone has heard of “cardio”, but do you really know what it is? Aerobic exercise provides cardiovascular conditioning – hence the nickname – helping to keep your heart, lungs, and circulatory system strong and healthy. Along with resistance training and flexibility, aerobic exercise should be part of your daily training program.

The Body’s Response to Aerobic Exercise

Aerobic is literally defined as “with oxygen”. During aerobic activity, your breathing increases as you repeatedly move the large muscles in your arms, legs, and hips, which maximizes the amount of oxygen in your blood. As your heart rate increases, the blood flow throughout your body also increases. Your capillaries, or small blood vessels, even widen to bring more oxygenated blood to your muscles and to remove metabolic waste, like lactic acid and carbon dioxide.

When you incorporate aerobic exercise in your fitness routine, you are training your muscles to be more efficient in consuming oxygen, to burn more fat and carbohydrates, and to enhance your overall fitness. As an added bonus, your body will release endorphins after 20 to 30 minutes of aerobic exercise, creating a mood boost! 

How to Achieve Aerobic Fitness

Your aerobic fitness is measured by your body's ability to convert oxygen into energy for your muscles. Your lung efficiency, cardiac function, gender, age, and genetics are all factors that contribute to your aerobic fitness. 

The American College of Sports Medicine recommends a minimum of three 30-minute sessions of moderate to vigorous aerobic exercise a week to improve cardio-respiratory fitness. With aerobic exercise, there’s no need to rest in between sessions, unless you are training at an extreme level like marathon preparation, or if you are experiencing joint pain. A medical grade compression garment, such as CORESHORTS™, can help to give you enhanced functional support to optimize alignment and improve motion control during aerobic exercise.

If you have endurance training goals, improving your cardio-respiratory capacity is critical to achieving them. If you have strength-related training goals, enhancing your aerobic fitness can help with recovery between sets of resistance-training exercises. If your goal is to improve flexibility, the increased flow of blood to your muscles from aerobic exercise will help with that, too.

The intensity of your aerobic exercise program should be determined by your current fitness level, your goals, and any limitations. If you are just starting to add cardio into your daily regime, start slowly and ramp up intensity and duration over time. As your aerobic fitness improves, add more time to your workout first and then increase its intensity. 

There are many kinds of aerobic exercise to consider when creating your fitness program. Cardio is any exercise that encourages your heart, lungs, and muscles work to harder including brisk walking, jogging, running, cycling, swimming, tennis, etc. 

In addition, here is an aerobic strength circuit that you can incorporate into your daily routine. Remember to talk with your doctor before beginning a new aerobic program.

Aerobic strength circuit: 15 to 25 minutes, 3 to 5 times per week

1. Do one minute of squats, following by one minute of jogging or marching in place (active rest). This is one circuit. Repeat two or three times, then rest up to five minutes.
2. Do one minute of lunges, following by one minute of jogging or marching in place. Repeat two or three times. Rest up to five minutes.
3. Do one minute of pushups, following by one minute of jogging or marching in place. Repeat two or three times. Rest up to five minutes.
4. Do one minute of dips, following by one minute of jogging or marching in place. Repeat two or three times. Rest up to five minutes.
5. Do one minute of torso twists, following by one minute of jogging or marching in place. Repeat two or three times. Rest up to five minutes.

To stay injury-free, always do your stretch/mobility movements after your run (and wear your CORESHORTS™).

Benefits of Aerobic Exercise

As you improve your aerobic fitness, here are some of the health benefits that you may experience: 

• Decreases anxiety and stress
• Decreases your resting heart rate
• Helps with weight management and/or weight loss
• Helps you ward off viral illnesses
• Improves your cognitive function 
• Increases lung function and strengthens your respiratory system
• Increases your stamina, fitness, and strength
• Reduces your health risks, including obesity, heart disease, high blood pressure, type 2 diabetes, metabolic syndrome, stroke, and certain types of cancer
• Strengthens muscles, ligaments, tendons, and bones
• Strengthens your heart and improves cardiovascular conditioning

CORESHORTS™ Supports Your Fitness Goals

Unlike other compression garments, CORESHORTS™ features a patented design, which was created to provide a simple solution for enhanced core support, improved stability, and optimized function. The compression provided by the Core Activation System “X” enhances core support and offers increased stability, which is just what you need during an aerobic workout. Try them out for yourself and experience the difference! Learn more: www.coreshorts.com

*Disclaimer: Please note that the information provided in CORESHORTS™ blogs do not replace individual advice from health professionals. Please consult your physician/health professional before starting a new fitness program.

Regardless of the intensity, type or duration, hip and back pain can be disruptive to your life. No matter how you are affected, these pains can be frustrating, impacting your normal daily routine, training regimen, and lifestyle. Particularly for those who may need to spend most of their day sitting, hip and low back discomfort can even influence your work performance! Our team recognizes how these aches and pains can affect you and that’s why we created CORESHORTS™ to help. Learn how to manage hip and low back pain! 

Managing Your Daily Routine When in Pain 

There are several things you can do as part of your daily routine to help improve your hip and low back pain. 

Listen to your body 

Do not overwork your muscles to the point of injury/re-injury. If a certain exercise or activity is causing pain, stop, rest, and modify it. Remember that there is a difference between discomfort and pain. Make modifications so you can exercise safely and help your muscles gain strength. 

Get up and move 

If you have a sedentary job or are idle, set alerts to get up and move or stretch briefly. Also try to increase your heart rate with a brisk walk during a longer break. This activity will help loosen your spinal joints, muscles, tendons, and ligaments. A quick change of pace and influx of endorphins may also help lift your mood!  

Posture Matters  

If you do find yourself sitting throughout the day, make sure to watch your posture. Slouching or hunching over a computer are common causes of back pain. If needed, find a chair with good lumbar and mid back support or use a pillow for support. 

If you are still experiencing hip and low back pain after trying to manage your symptoms at home, make sure to speak with your health care professional for further advice on how to safely manage your discomfort.  

At-Home Treatment for Back & Hip Pain 

There are many natural and “over the counter” NSAIDs pain and anti-inflammatory options available for the treatment of minor aches and pains. This can come as a pill or as an ointment. If you have any health concerns with medication you should always consult your doctor for advice. 

Other at-home treatments for persistent low back and hip pains may include: 

• Icing the injury (PRICE- Protection, Rest, Ice, Compression, and Elevation) to reduce inflammation  
• Heat to improve mobility 
• Physical Therapy, Chiropractic, Massage Therapy 
• Specific stretching, stability, and strengthening exercises as recommended by your health care professional 

Related > Core Stability Exercises for Runners and Athletes 

 Scott Arfield, Glasgow Rangers and Canadian International

Can I work out with constant or intermittent hip and back pain? 

Yes, it’s likely you can still work out while experiencing pain in the back and hips. Many people experience either constant or intermittent pain. If any exercise or activity results in spasm or it exacerbates the pain in either intensity, duration, or location then please do not continue the exercise. However, gentle movement is very important for recovery.  - until you are recovered - it’s best to stick with more low-impact aerobic exercises. These exercises will keep your muscles strong without adding trauma or further aggravation like high-intensity workouts might. You’ll keep both feet on the ground mostly, providing support to your body during the movement.  

The best exercise to promote recovery is walking. Not just strolling but actually a deliberate walk that utilizes an optimal stride length and arm swing. This allows for gentle motion as the shoulder and pelvic girdle work together. Progress the walks by 5 minute increments starting from 10 minutes. You should be able to at least successfully have three walks at that duration before increasing your time that way you never jump ahead too far. Points to consider - find your stride, it should be comfortable not too fast, don’t add hills - start out on flat ground. Walking can either be done outside or indoor on a treadmill. 

Another functional exercise is the “chair squat” - try to stay upright and slowly sit down into a chair then without having a forward lurch try to stand up out of the chair. Make sure the chair is against a wall so it doesn’t slide away. Repeat 3 - 5 times and progress as tolerated a few times per day. 

Bonus: These exercises are low impact on your knee joints, too! Don’t forget recovery - a foam roller is a good addition to a home gym as it can help to improve mobility, while also rejuvenating your muscles, and some post-workout soreness. 

While you are recovering, exercising and continuing to maintain normal function, wearing a pair of CORESHORTS™ can helps to stabilize those impacted muscle groups and joints. CORESHORTS are designed to improve optimal movement and stability for both injury recovery and return to normal function and activity. There are three versions available depending on how much support you need.  

Preventing Back and Hip Injuries 

While there’s no full-proof way to prevent injuries, wearing the right gear certainly helps! CORESHORTS™ were specifically designed by a Sports Physical Therapist to support the low back, pelvis, hip, and groin areas, all while optimizing motion control and stability.  

Low Back and Hip Stability

Through a patented “X” technology, CORESHORTS™ helps to reduce the risk of strain in the most common places for sports-related injuries and promotes recovery. The compression provided by the Core Activation System “X” enhances core support and offers increased stability. These are not your typical three cylinder compression shorts - the diagonal “X” is the key! 

If you are looking for a unique anatomically correct solution to sports injuries, look no further. Our shorts are used and backed by professional athletes and associations, including the NHL, NFL, MLS, MLB, and many sports in the NCAA. By using CORESHORTS™, you will feel a difference in your athletic performance and a reduction in your injuries and recovery time. Try them out for yourself today and experience the difference!

Dedicated athletes are used to pushing their bodies to the limit, stretching their endurance, strength, and technique. But injuries can really challenge an athlete’s patience. The first question that we often hear from injured athletes is when can I train, play, run, lift, etc. again? The mental pain that can be caused by an injury and the loss of your sport can feel more devastating than the injury itself. It’s important that the steps you take to recover from a sports injury address both your physical and mental health. Try some of the following sports injury recovery tips from your friends at CORESHORTS™ and get on your way to healing!  

First Steps to Sports Injury Recovery 

The first steps in recovery after evaluating a sports injury are often to use cold therapy and compression for initial treatment. Use the mnemonic “PRICE,” which stands for protect, rest, ice, compression, and elevation, to help reduce the swelling and pain accompanied with a soft tissue injury. The objective of using PRICE is to reduce the negative effects of inflammation (even though inflammation is one of the first steps in healing) and kickstart the healing process as soon as possible after an injury occurs. 

Pro Tip: Compression helps control swelling in the area of an injury. The variable compression ratings produced by our three versions of CORESHORTS™ can help protect and support the recovery of low back, groin, hip, and pelvic injuries.  

Understand Your Injury + Allow Healing  

If your injury is minor, such as a grade 1 sprain or strain, it will take two to four weeks away from competitive sport to allow time for rehabilitation, and recovery to promote healing. If needed, it may be of value to support the injured area with a splint, brace, or compression apparatus as recommended by the treating therapist. Continuing to use your injured body part under the guidance of a therapist will help prevent the injury from becoming a chronic problem.

Keep in mind that a lack of improvement or worsening pain warrants a trip to your sports therapist. Pain should never be ignored, and some injuries might require imaging and further evaluation by a Sports Medicine Physician. Be sure to follow your doctor’s advice closely. Don’t cut corners, and work as hard in your rehab as you usually do in your training regimen.  

Start Slow  

As the pain subsides and your injury heals, small movements of the joints and injured area can help restore your range of motion.  

A key component to recovery is the use of a graduated resistance program that will help strengthen your muscles. Resistance training also needs to be supported with exercises to improve balance, reflex control, and endurance in both the injured tissues and all those surrounding them. This kind of training will prepare your body to get back to your sport!  

Be careful though, do not start to stretch or use an injured body part without supervision from a physiotherapist, sports therapist, or doctor. Working the injured area prematurely can cause further injury and a longer recovery. That being said, light stretching can help your muscles stay loose while you heal. Just don’t overdo it or push your muscles too far if stretching causes pain to your injury. 

Eat a Healthy Diet + Hydrate  

Just as weightlifters eat ample protein on rest days to help their muscles recover, you should add more lean protein to your diet when you are in recovery from a sports injury. Adjusting your diet can help your body build more tissue and heal faster.  

Protein-rich foods like meat and fish help enhance your body’s muscle-building process. Leafy dark greens and citrus fruits can help boost vitamin C, which in turn produces collagen that rebuilds tissues. Eating foods rich in Omega -3 fats, such as fish, walnuts, chia seeds, spinach, and flax, can help limit inflammation and speed up recovery. There are also many supplements and plant-based options that will also work to enhance recovery. 

It’s easier to forget to adequately hydrate when you aren’t training or exercising regularly due to an injury. While you might not be participating in strenuous exercise and sweating a lot, your body is still hard at work healing and building new tissue to repair what was injured. Good hydration also helps to reduce muscle soreness and to flush toxins out of your body. 

Pro Tip: Drink water and natural fruit juice instead of sports drinks with added salt and electrolytes, especially if your injury is still swelling. Too much salt in your diet can cause you to retain water and increase swelling.  

Stay Active, If Possible 

Going from 100 percent to nothing can be quite a challenge, especially for serious athletes that are used to playing their sports nearly every day. The good news is that you don't have to completely give up physical activity because you are injured. While your injured body part does need time to heal, it is actually beneficial to add some light cardio throughout the week to your recovery plan, injury permitting.  

Getting your blood pumping boosts your immune system and reduces inflammation, two very important aspects of recovery. Try to incorporate various bouts of light exercise into your day while recovering. Exercises to consider could include swimming, light floor exercises, and simple yoga or stretching, depending on where your injury is and its severity.  

Sleep  

Sleep is one of the most important aspects of recovery from injury. Getting at least 7 to 9 hours of good sleep helps conserve your body’s energy for healing. As you sleep, more blood flows to your muscles, bringing oxygen and other nutrients that assist in repair. Sleep also produces HGH which helps build new tissue at a fast rate.  

The key here is to not just lounge around the house and rest, it's to actually sleep! Nap in the afternoon, and make sure that your house is cool at night to allow for deep restful sleep. The more time you spend sleeping, the more time your body has to heal! 

Emotional Well-Being  

A sports injury can be devastating, as it sidelines us from the things that we love to do. Believe it or not, your emotions play an important role in your healing process. Allow yourself to be sad, don't hide your feelings. This isn’t a time to be “macho” or “strong.” Don’t spend too much time on what “could have been.” Yes, a sports injury can disrupt plans, but your reality after injury is to heal so you can get back out there.  

Regardless of whether you have a long road of recovery ahead of you or just a few weeks, a good attitude can help speed up your recovery. Now is the time to set small attainable goals for yourself as you recover. These goals can be as simple as one additional rep with a resistance band or stretching your muscles a little bit farther each day. 

Remember that your injury is temporary. Try to stay positive, no matter what! Allow yourself to heal properly and be patient with the healing process. 

Prevention is Key 

We know how hard it is to be injured. No athlete likes to be sitting at home or watching from the sidelines. Fortunately, many types of sports injuries can be reduced or avoided. Make sure to warm-up before each workout. Include cardio, active stretching, and sport-specific preparation into your warm-up routine to adequately get your body ready for strenuous activity or exercise. 

Our recovery tips, along with the advice of your therapist or doctor, should have you back on the field, out running, lifting, or playing whatever sport it is that you love to do with a higher degree of safety and within an optimal recovery time.  

If you recently suffered a low back, groin, pelvic, or hip injury, our patented CORESHORTS™ utilizes a series of angled elastics (Core Activation System) to help you recover from injury and stabilize your low back, pelvis, and hips as you return to strenuous exercise and full function. Check out our line of CORESHORTS™ today! 

After a demanding workout session - while wearing your CORESHORTS™, of course - you probably feel like you are ready to move on with your day. But did you stretch… BEFORE and AFTER your workout? 

Stretching offers many great health benefits and should be included as part of your daily workout routine.  Stretching before exercise helps your body prepare to move. After the workout, stretching helps your body and muscles recover, while improving your posture, flexibility, and performance (to name just a few benefits).

Why Stretching Is Important 

Let’s explore some reasons why stretching is so important. Here are five reasons why you should always stretch—before and after—a workout session:

1. Increased flexibility and range of motion

Regular stretching is known to increase your flexibility and your range of motion. Flexibility is crucial for your overall health. It helps you perform everyday activities with ease, and it also can help delay reduced mobility as you age. By incorporating stretching as a standard part of your workout routine, your overall flexibility will improve!

Stretching a muscle or groups of muscles through a patterned motion or PNF (proprioceptive neuromuscular facilitation) is effective for immediate gains. Having a full range of motion equals freedom of movement and stretching can help get you there!

Related > Ways to Increase Range of Motion 

2. Improved Sports Performance

Many of our CORESHORTS™ customers are active athletes. Exercising and sports require a wider degree of flexibility and range of motion at the joint. Having increased flexibility will improve your sports performance and will also help to decrease the chances of injury.

3. Decreased Injury and Increased Blood Flow

As just mentioned, stretching can helps to prevent injuries. Stretching before and after exercising, especially dynamic (active) stretching, prepares your body for activity.

When you stretch, you are increasing the blood flow to your muscles by improving your circulation. But why is this important? Increased blood flow to your muscles may help shorten recovery time and reduce onset muscle soreness.

4. Improved Posture and Back Pain Relief

Having poor posture may lead to muscle aches and body pain. Proper muscle balance and alignment are known to improve posture. By stretching daily, you can loosen your muscles and reduce the risk of muscle strains and injury, which can lead to decreased back pain. If you already have an injury, stretching an existing injury or back pain will help improve the recovery time. Never stretch into pain!

5. Stress Relief

One of the biggest holistic benefits of stretching is the decrease in stress. Physical and emotional stress can impact your exercise recovery and lessen the benefits of exercise. In fact, the overproduction of the stress hormone cortisol can actually result in health issues.  Stretching allows your muscles as well as your mind to relax, so you perform at your personal best.

Stability Starts at CORESHORTS™ 

At CORESHORTS™, we are passionate about our product and can guarantee you enhanced core support and functional movement. Combine that with regular stretching, before and after your workout, and you will be on the top of your game!

Focus on Your “Core” Instead of Your “Abs”

To improve your running (and set that P.B.), you need to do more than run. You should train and strengthen yourself mentally and physically, too. Core stability workouts help to improve your running form, reduce injury risk, and boost your overall athletic performance. A weaker core also leads to faster fatigue. Here our sports performance experts provide 5 core exercises to make you a better runner.

What Exactly is the Core?

Your "core" isn't just your abs. It’s actually everything from your shoulders down to your hips. That means that your core also extends to include your shoulder girdle, mid-back, low back, obliques, glutes, hamstrings, and hips. When working your core during training, make sure to target these areas to prevent running injuries and perform at your peak.

How Often do I Need to Work My Core?

Clearly, the core is key to sports performance. But, how often do you need to be exercising these muscles? Many long-distance runners skip their core workout to go on a run for lack of time in their training schedule. However, many endurance runners have weaknesses laterally on the outer muscles. By correcting these muscle imbalances, you will run more efficiently.

You don’t have to spend hours in the gym doing sit-ups and crunches. In fact, you can skip those exercises as they won’t give you the functional strength you need to run. Core workouts can be effective even just done once a week for 30-minutes or so. 

Even if you only have a few minutes, focus on integrated core exercises (check out five of our favorites below) to strengthen and stabilize the front, back, and side of your core in one move. That way you can make the most of the time you have!

How a Stronger Core Makes You a Better Runner

Your core impacts pretty much all parts of your body. When you run, you slightly twist your upper and lower body. Your entire body is involved in the movement. Since the twist motion originates in the core, you’ll want to focus your training to include core stability exercises. 

When you do, you can expect to see some of these performance benefits:

• Protect your low back and lower injury risk
• Deeper abs (rectus and transverse muscles) produce more power and speed
• More stability and better range of motion
• Fewer muscle imbalances that can cause you to over- or under-stride your gait
• Overall improved form thanks to stronger responsive oblique muscles

Power up your workout with one of our three stability levels of support. CORESHORTS™ patented design improves optimal motion and is raved about by runners across the US and Canada. Shop now to see the why for yourself!

The Best Core Workouts for Runners 

Try integrated core exercises that maximize movement. You’ll recall that your core has three dimensions (front, side, and back), and it’s more than just abs. These five exercise options aim to target all three areas of your core at the same time and are key to incorporate into your training plan!

Superman

A nice way to start or end your core training, the Superman exercise targets lower back muscles and helps maintain stability in your hips.

Planks

We love this exercise because there are so many options - regular plank, side plank, on your elbows or straight arm, even moving up and down! The power of planks is astounding. This exercise works your shoulders, back, and abs with no equipment needed.

Russian Twists 

Train your obliques and the transverse abdominis muscles. The rotational moves like this really target the muscles that keep you more steady for those long-distance runs! 

Bridge 

This move works your low back and the top of the glutes, which are both areas where distance runners tend to get sore.

Windshield Wipers

These exercises are three-dimensional, integrated core moves so your entire core benefits from the movement!

Core Strength is Key for Runners

Remember, your core stabilizes every part of your body. The point of core strength isn’t to have six-pack abs, it’s to stabilize your spine and protect your back from injury while you run!

Integrate core exercises into your training plan. Do your own core workout, try integrated core workouts in a group, or do whatever best works for you - but make the time for them. Another key to assist your best performance? CORESHORTS TM - a functional stability system to optimize motion.  Shop CORESHORTS™ now to find the pair best suited for your stability needs!

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*Disclaimer: Please note that the information provided in CORESHORTS blogs do not replace individual advice from health professionals. Please consult your physician before starting a new fitness program.

Range of motion: The full movement potential of a joint, usually its range of flexion and extension.

When you have a limited range of motion (ROM), your overall performance of desired activities is also limited. If you are training for a big race, hockey game, or triathlon, limited ROM can lead to overcompensation and possible injury. Weeks (or months) of rehab isn’t worth it the chance, that’s why we’re sharing ways to increase your ROM. 

Limited Range of Motion 

It’s nearly instinctual to stretch...until you get that pain in your back or shoulder. Limited ROM simply refers to a joint in your body that has a reduction in its ability to function properly. Example: a knee may lack 10 degrees of full extension due to a past sports injury.  

The reduced motion may be a mechanical problem with the specific joint, or it may be the result of past injury or disease. Most commonly, health issues such as osteoarthritis, rheumatoid arthritis, or other types of arthritis may impact your ROM. 

Stretching can be used to improve ROM of joints, and, as we’re sure you’ve noticed in your training regimen, is also a preventative measure. Why? If ROM is limited asymmetrically in the hamstrings, then your body can overcompensate, and it could lead to a pelvic torsion and lower back pain. When this occurs, you are taking chances with risking injury.  

CORESHORTSTM patented technology not only helps top athletes prevent injury, but it allows people who have injuries from compensating for lack of ROM and mobility. Check out our selection of premium compression shorts!

Why is full ROM important? 

A joint MUST go through its full ROM daily to remain healthy. If movement is limited, synovial fluid, which is a nutrient-rich and internal lubricating fluid, cannot properly circulate to protect your joints. Eventually, this will cause stiffness, joint and/or muscle dysfunction, and joint deterioration. 

A full ROM will increase flexibility, strength, muscle tone, and will help expend more calories. Other benefits of ROM exercises include: 

• Improved Circulation 
• Enhanced Muscle Strength 
• Maintained or Increased Flexibility
• Reduced Pain and Stiffness 
• Better Sports Performance 
• Decreased Injury Potential 

Pro athletes, amateurs, and elite weekend warriors alike all agree that compression shorts prevent injury and also enhance performance. The purpose and design of CORESHORTS™ are what differentiates them from regular compression shorts and makes them UNIQUE! Experience better performance and prevent possible injury by finding out which tier of compression best suits you. 

Ways to Improve Range of Motion

Here are four stretching methods to improve your ROM: 

 
Static Stretching  

Static stretching is basically holding muscle tissue in an elongated form.  At minimum, you should hold the stretch for 30- to 60-seconds at a mild to moderate discomfort level.  

Remember: Static stretching before athletic training may cause loss of performance.  When gaining ROM, then static stretching should be performed, after activity or separately. 

Dynamic Stretching 

Active stretching is where you are moving in and out of your available ROM. Think side lunges, trunk twists, and toy soldier kicks. When integrated into your warm-up, dynamic stretching can improve ROM. 

Myofascial Release  

Foam rolling may also help improve joint ROM. Unlike static stretching, it can be performed before or after training. Many athletes will choose foam rolling for post-workout to help with recovery time.   

Hold/Relax 

This form of stretching is called Proprioceptive Neuromuscular Facilitation (PNF). It’s a quick and effective method to increase ROM. While there are several types of PNF stretches, the hold/relax technique is easiest. All you do is move the joint or muscle to a point of feeling a light stretch and then hold for about 10 seconds.  After that, progress further a little more into the stretch and hold for about another 30 seconds.   

Remember: Stretching is critical to maintaining joint flexibility and ROM.  However, you should only feel a mild stretch, not pain!

Stability Starts with CORESHORTS™ 

Experience the difference of CORESHORTS™. Our Core Activation System "X" provides enhanced core support, improved stability, and optimizing ROM. 

Our patented core activation system features:  

• Revolutionary X band design (which mimics the functional anatomy of the body's core area to boost performance) 
• Anti-odor technology prevents the growth of odor-causing microbes
• Smooth, chafe-free flatlock seam construction 

Three levels available to suit any level of athlete - stability starts at CORESHORTS ™!

We provide the only anatomically correct support system, thanks to strategically angled elastics! This localized circumferential compression to the low back and pelvis mimics the anatomical cross support of your core anatomy.